Whiteout – Gabriel Macht

In Whiteout Gabriel Macht portrays UN investigator Robert Pryce who is flown to the Antarctic to help expedited a murder case headed by US Marshal Carrie Stetko (Kate Beckinsale). But as they race to find the killer, winter is already closing in along with the deadly Antarctic whiteout, which means neither one of them will see the killer until it’s too late.

What was it like to shoot in the cold climate of Manitoba?

My experience in Manitoba was that it was definitely freezing, and the environment was as close to the environment as I would think is possible. But, we were in extreme weather and I wasn’t that cold. The stuff they got us to wear was very warm. I was fine, and I expected it to be a lot worse. The challenges that we came up against were when we shot in the studio. We were in 80 degree weather, in late spring/early summer, and we were having to wear extreme weather gear. It was probably the hottest set I’ve ever been on, so I was sweating bullets and probably lost 35 pounds, by the end of the movie.

How much of these physical stunts did you do yourself, since your so covered up?

I feel like I did a lot of my own stunts. I think I did all of them, actually. There may have been some Second Unit stuff that I wasn’t aware of, but I think I was pretty much around for all of it. I’d worked with Steve Lucescu, our stunt coordinator, on The Recruit, and we got along great, both times. We had a good time.

Did the fact that you worked together before make this experience easier?

It was like roughhousing with my brothers, growing up. I had a great time playing around in the snow with the stunt crew. It brought back fond memories.

Was it hard to move in those bulky suits?

Yeah. It has its challenges, but there’s also a lot of padding, which helps when you’re thrown down. And, also, you can’t see anything behind you. It’s tough with the goggles.

If you were stationed in Antarctica for months, what are two things you could not go without?

I would take my wife and daughter. My wife is my other half, and my daughter is my other half, so that’s one thing. I would also probably bring my laptop, so that I could get online and do some research.

Have you ever been a comic book fan?

I’ve always been a comic book movie fan. I started reading comics, based on some of the opportunities I’ve gotten in film, and I have a huge respect for illustrators and writers in the comic world. They’re amazing, it’s a great entertainment. I have a strong appreciation for comics.

What’s it like to see yourself turned into an action figure after The Spirit?

It’s an incredible moment in your life. If you grew up watching movies and looking at action heroes, you think, “Oh, man, maybe I’ll be one of those one day.” I think I played with some CHiPs action figures [as a kid]. Anyway, it was pretty amazing, I was totally happy with it. I’ve been showing my daughter, who’s 2, my action figure. I’m like, “Who’s that?” And she looks and says, “Daddy”